“If your driver training stopped when you got your license, you’re missing out … Shifters is in a separate class from BDE courses, a specialty program teaching a specific skill using specific techniques.”

You begin with a brief outline of the essential skills to master, while dispelling the most common myths surrounding manual transmissions.

Then a simple, clear explanation of how the clutch works identifies the obstacles to smooth starts. By understanding the finer details of engaging the clutch you’ll be well on your way to launching smoothly and consistently, as well as how to prevent the engine from stalling, in a fraction of the time that most will need.

You’ll also learn the correct seating position to optimize control and minimize risk of injury in the event of a collision.

Then, a series of cockpit drills will help you select gears accurately, by feel, and eliminate distraction while driving, and help you to you remember the protocols.

During your Shifters Introductory Lesson you’ll also learn the how to:

Control your speed with the clutch when inching forward or backing up.

Launch smoothly each and every time with precise gas/clutch control.

Prolong engine/transmission life when driving in both ranges of first gear.

Secure your car correctly, both with the engine on and engine off.

You may apply the cost of your first session as a deposit towards any program of your choice to learn to drive manual shift. Simply pay the difference to upgrade.

Single lesson/assessment (90 minutes each)…. $127.00 (+ 13% HST)

The amount of material covered in your introductory session varies with your previous shifting experience as well as your own individual comfort level and ability.

Introductory Program

Learn to drive without damaging your own vehicle in this practical, hands-on introduction to all of the need-to-know skills. Learn to drive a manual transmission professionally, stress-free, on quiet, residential streets with our Shifters Introductory Program.

“What a difference! By the third lesson I was really learning… Whatever it is, it works.” Nicole Robert – stage actor – Mamma Mia.

Learning Outcomes:

This is what you can expect to learn in as few as three 90-minute in-car sessions:

The number of sessions needed varies with each individual and depends on your previous shifting experience as well as your own individual comfort level and ability.

Learn the safety procedures to easily avoid common mishaps:

Adjust your seat to maximize control and minimize your risk of injuries.

Secure your car and deter theft whenever you park; engine on, or off.

Prevent “the run-away car” when starting & shutting-off your engine.

Quickly regain control in the event that your engine stalls.

Avoid rolling back on a hill when pulling away.

Avoid major wear-and-tear that results from improper driving at slow speeds:

Get 300,000 km out of your clutch by eliminating common bad habits.

Avoid lugging and stalling to extend your engine’s life.

Eliminate jerky starts with smooth clutch control.

Control your speed easily with full precision when backing up.

Drastically reduce wear to the clutch and gearbox when shifting gears:

Avoid visual distractions by shifting accurately and effortlessly by feel.

Smoothen all of your gear changes by matching revs.

Get the best fuel economy by knowing exactly when to change gears.

Downshift with full control when preparing for turns.

Drastically reduce engine and transmission wear when shifting on hills.

Slow down and stop in each gear in the most effective way possible:

Minimize brake and power train wear with simple, effective techniques.

Start and stop on any hill in full control, without rolling back.

Eliminate unnecessary clutch wear while sitting at a stop.

Stop with full confidence in any emergency.

PLUS DOZENS OF ADDITIONAL TIPS THAT WILL SAVE YOU MONEY!

Even learn how to recognize the symptoms of a faulty clutch before you shop for a used vehicle, and sidestep costly repairs.

THE SHIFTERS FEE SCHEDULE – All prices subject to 13% HST

Single 90-minute session…. $127.00

Package of 3 sessions… $347.00 …(SAVE 38.42)

Total Control Program

Prepare yourself to pick up your new vehicle or overseas rental. Learn to drive a manual transmission confidently in ANY traffic situation in this complete, seamless transition from automatic to stick.

“But what a find. Gentle, soft-spoken… Within five lessons my wife was comfortable in 18 lanes of traffic on the 401, starting on hills – and even correcting my bad habits” Iain MacMillan – Editor, Ski Canada

Master all the driving fundamentals contained in the Introductory Program and integrate them into everyday, real-life city-driving situations.

You’ll be driving a stick in as few as five sessions! Or, if you’ve already completed The Shifters Introductory Program, you may upgrade to the Total Control Program in approximately two sessions.

Refine clutch control to master slow maneuvers on steep hills.

Conquer the fear of hills through rigorous repetition of targeted exercises.

Stop and start on steep hills without rolling back or delaying traffic.

Compensate for the effects of gravity when shifting gears on hilly roads.

Identify the symptoms of a faulty clutch before buying a used vehicle.

Extend the life of your tires by up to 100,000 km or more.

Get up to 200,000 km or more out of your brakes.

Improve your fuel economy by up to 25%.

THE SHIFTERS FEE SCHEDULE – All prices subject to 13% HST

Single 90-minute session…. 127.00

Package of 5 sessions…… 567.00 (SAVE 76.84)

The number of sessions needed varies from one individual to the next. The actual number that you may decide upon depends on factors such as the extent of your previous shifting experience as well as your own individual comfort level and ability.

Be ready to drive a manual transmission, fully confident in what you’re doing!

High Performance Driving

Let your passion for performance driving propel your shifting skills to “track-ready” as you learn to drive a manual transmission at pro level.

Discover high performance driving secrets from past racing instructor and two-time winner of the Toronto Star – Wheels Driver of the Year contest, Warren Spagn to maximize your driving pleasure, on or off the track.

Performance driving theory and know-how to deepen your understanding

Optimize vehicle performance with torque and horsepower curves

Match revs with mathematical precision using gear ratio charts

Determine the best shift points for power or economy

Utilize vehicle dynamics to enhance stability

Performance driving visual skills to increase your awareness

Avoid the most common visual-tracking errors that cause loss of control

The number of lessons needed varies from one individual to the next. The actual number that you may decide upon depends on factors such as the extent of your previous shifting experience as well as your own individual comfort level and ability

Start living your driving ambitions today!

Driver Evaluation

Drivers whose duties include operating manual transmissions pose even higher risks. Accepting their verbal assurance without hard proof or verification of their manual driving skills can prove to be costly. In all likelihood their government license driving evaluation happened in an automatic, and they’ve never been formally trained in a manual vehicle.

Since March of 2004 Ontario’s bill C-45 has held employers accountable for job safety training, including driving.

DCA Driving Assessment

Whether your employees drive company-owned vehicles, or their own, you are exposed to the same level of liability.

Once you hire a driver you become responsible and ultimately, liable for their on-road misjudgments. The DCA Driving Assessment enables you to identify problem drivers upfront, before they become a burden to your organization.

You are also able to isolate your weakest drivers and to allocate your training dollars more effectively to raise their skill level.

Valet Certification

Ensure that potential employees’ driving skills qualify them for the position of valets.

REDUCING YOUR RISK EXPOSURE

Nine out of ten drivers rank their ability at a statistically impossible “above average” level. This means that whenever you hire a new candidate without a pre-hire driving evaluation you increase your risk exposure.

A clean driver’s abstract means that they obey traffic laws but does not guarantee their use of low-risk driving strategies. That’s why so many fleet managers insist on a driving evaluation as part of their screening process.

A driving evaluation is one of the most cost-effective loss-prevention measures anyone can take both when hiring and when allocating resources to implement remedial or compliance training programs.

A driving evaluation helps you to comply with occupational health and safety laws

Workers’ greatest risk of injury occurs when behind the wheel, not just while working, but getting to and from work as well. The highest portion of indirect accident costs stems from motor vehicle collisions.

Cut property damage and public liability claims with a driving evaluation

Positions such as parking lot attendants, hotel valets, and car dealership jockeys all require driving high-end vehicles, some equipped with manual transmissions. Obviously customers expect their vehicles to be returned to them in the same condition …undamaged.

A manual shift driving evaluation isolates the drivers that need training, and helps prevent disastrous incidents in your parking lot, where one driver’s error has the potential to upset several clients at once.

As a return on investment a driving evaluation can save your organization thousands of dollars in insurance costs, legal bills, and negative publicity.

A driving evaluation can save you thousands in down time

A vehicle out of commission means lost productivity. But a physical injury that requires rehab to anyone in your organization will cost far more. And, you may be hard pressed to replace their skill set while they’re gone.

A professional driving evaluation gives you peace of mind by removing the guesswork when deciding whom to entrust the car keys to.

DCA Driving Assessment - The DCA Test

Whether your employees drive company-owned vehicles, or their own, you are exposed to the same level of liability. By insisting that your applicants take an independent pre-hire DCA Driving Assessment you can drastically cut your risks.

Many employers request a driver’s abstract from their applicants, and equate that formality with exercising due diligence. But in reality, a driver’s abstract provides very limited information meaning that when you hire there’s still a lot of guesswork involved.

Even if your applicant goes out on a “check ride” with your fleet trainer you are still left in the dark for the most part. Check rides do not gather the same information regarding the skills and abilities of the driver in the same way that a fully independent DCA Driving Assessment does.

What does a DCA assessment tell you about your driver?

The DCA Driving Assessment is a scientifically based test originally developed by a research team intent on solving problems related to driver distraction. The on-road DCA Driving Assessment measures six variables over the course of twelve driving segments, each individually scored by the evaluator.

Each of the twelve segments of a DCA Driving Assessment are structured with standardized degrees of difficulty and the test includes sections both with, and without distractor conditions. The driver’s abilities are scored independently in each segment, so that the effects of the distractors may be compared with their performance under normal conditions.

Following the DCA Driving Assessment the scores are forwarded to a database where the results are analyzed, both individually as well as for the fleet as a whole. This independent report enables fleet operators to weigh their risk exposure against the industry norm.

The analysis also compares the individual driver’s performance results while driving distraction free against those where internal and external distractors are introduced. This data gives the fleet operator a true picture of where the driver sits on the risk scale.

The DCA Driving Assessment reduces health, safety, and legal risks

Many legal disputes end up following the route of questionable due diligence where the main objective is to prove that the accused was negligent. To prove their argument attorneys often subpoena all documented history of your driver’s driving and training records while working within your organization.

Any record of a previous incident is considered as sufficient grounds to question what precautions have been taken by your organization to limit recurrence.

One of the best defenses that you can use to demonstrate due diligence is documented proof that following such an incident your organization took essential remedial steps. First, the driver’s skills were measured, and then where remedial training was administered a final assessment verifies that the training was successful.

In the eyes of the law you have exercised due diligence.

The DCA Driving Assessment – a diagnostic tool to save you money

Once you hire a driver you become responsible and ultimately, liable for their on-road misjudgments. The DCA Driving Assessment enables you to identify problem drivers upfront, before they become a burden to your organization.

You are also able to isolate your weakest drivers and to allocate your training dollars more effectively to raise their skill level.

They win, you win, and most importantly, your customers win!

Valet Certification

Truck Driver training

Valet Certification

Purpose:

To ensure that potential employees’ driving skills qualify them for the position of valets.

Typical duties of valets include:

Driving a full assortment of vehicles with varying degrees of monetary value.

Handling a percentage vehicles equipped with manual transmissions.

Stopping and starting on steep grades typically found in underground parking lots.

Better control of loss prevention by reducing risks of property damage and liability claims.

Truck Driver training

PREPARE FOR TRUCK DRIVER TRAINING: LEARN TO SHIFT GEARS

Truck driver training means new career opportunities

Driving a truck can be an exciting career path full of employment opportunities, generous compensation, and a unique and independent work environment. To obtain your license you must successfully complete a truck driver training course and pass a government road exam.

Truck driver training programs are generally very thorough and if this career path fits your personality type truck it is money well spent. Truck driver training courses range from $2,000.00 to $6,000.00, and if you require additional practice time, your piggy bank may soon dry up.

On the other hand if it doesn’t work out, it’s a lot of money to fork over. Before you hand over your hard earned cash make sure that a driving career is a good match for you.

I did it...

“I’ve always wanted to walk into an upscale dealership and take a snappy imported sports car for a spin. I put myself in the capable hands of Carlos Tomas, operator of Shifters. After a few days I finally did it. Top down; wind in my hair. A dream come true”

Linda Fox – Toronto Sun

Manual Shift Driving Lessons

Costs & Options

Basic Training

Basic Training

Single session = 90-minutes (pay as you go)

1 Session / Assessment – $127.00

3 Sessions – 347.00 = $115.67/ session (you save $38.42)

5 Sessions – 567.00 = $113.40/ session (you save $76.84)

10 Sessions – 1097.00 = $109.70/ session (you save $215.83)

Upgrades:

+ 2 – From 1 session to 3 sessions – $220.00

+ 4 – from 1 session to 5 sessions – $440.00

High Performance

High Performance

Single sessions – 90-minutes (pay as you go)

1 Session/Assessment – $147.00

3 Sessions = 397.00 = $132.33/ session (you save $49.72)

5 Sessions = 647.00 = $129.40/ session (you save $99.44)

Upgrades:

+ 2 – From 1 session to 3 sessions – $250.00

+ 4 – from 1 session. to 5 sessions –$ 500.00

The Fine Print

All package fees are due at the end of the 1st session.

All prices are subject to HST.

Book a 10 Minute Complementary Consulation!

Not sure which program to choose?

Let's talk about the options, call to book a 10 minute telephone consultation at no charge at a time that's convenient for you.